Disgraced cricket coach and self-confessed child groomer Chris Cranny has broken down in tears while hearing one of his victims tell a court how he betrayed his trust and will never be forgiven.
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The Gwynneville resident sobbed during his sentencing hearing in Wollongong Local Court on Friday, almost two months after he pleaded guilty to 11 child sex-related charges including multiple counts each of grooming a child for unlawful sexual activity and intentionally doing a sexual act with a child.
Cranny, who was also a relieving primary school teacher at the time, was arrested at his home in January following a police investigation and originally faced eight charges relating to a single victim.
Police laid additional charges after two more boys came forward with complaints.
When interviewed by detectives, Cranny confessed to having a sexual curiosity towards adolescent boys that included wanting to see them naked.
He labelled the "urges" a disorder and claimed he'd been fighting an attraction to boys for years, however admitted he'd rationalised his behaviour towards the three victims as "being okay" because he "wasn't physically touching them".
In court on Friday, one of Cranny's male victims, who can not be identified, said the 32-year-old had made him "believe every lie you told me".
"I began to trust you ... you took advantage of me," he said.
"I was not the first you did it to but I was the first who came forward.
"The effects of what you did are still there and they will not go away anytime soon.
"I haven't stopped doing the things I love. What you did to me, you did to others. But you chose the wrong kid.
"I'll admit you broke me but you did not win and I hope you pay."
Cranny wrote a letter of apology, which was tendered in court, where he said "sorry" to everyone he harmed.
"I know what I have done to hurt them (victims) and each of their families and that no amount of apology by me can ever undo that," he wrote.
"I also know that they were at an age where what I have done would have caused them deep hurt, confusion and pain and will continue to impact them - I only wish that I had never been born and this had never happened to the people who placed their trust in me.
"I abused their trust. I made them doubt everything.
"I am not the person I wanted to be in life. I never wanted to be a man who would do the things I have done. But I know what I am and what I have done."
The letter also detailed that Cranny has sought psychological help.
A set of facts tendered to the court said Cranny began sexually grooming two young teens between 2015 and 2017.
He communicated with both boys through social media and text messages, often talking to them about sex, including giving them advice about what to do with their own girlfriends and detailing vivid accounts of his own sexual experiences with women.
In one instance, Cranny masturbated in front of one of the teens, while on another occasion, he showed the other boy a 10-15 second video of himself having sex with a woman.
He also showed the same boy a close-up picture of her vagina, which he claimed to have taken "sneakily" while performing oral sex on her.
The court heard Cranny had told the teens they were his "brothers" and "that's just what mates do".
The court documents reveal one of the teen's fathers became suspicious of Cranny's behaviour around his son and began keeping a closer eye on what was occurring, only to discover text messages Cranny had sent his son detailing one of his alleged sexual conquests.
The father read the text messages and subsequently stopped contact between the pair.
Meanwhile, Cranny moved his attentions on to a third teen in 2019, using similar grooming tactics to cultivate the relationship.
He began watching pornography in front of the teen, then moved onto masturbating in front of him and at one stage invited the boy to masturbate alongside him.
When the teen told Cranny he liked a girl at his school, Cranny showed him a video demonstrating how to touch a girl's intimate parts.
The court heard Cranny's behaviour changed when the teen got a girlfriend and he became jealous, possessive and emotionally manipulative, often telling the teen via social media "you mean the world to me" and "I can't live without you".
The victim eventually disclosed what had been occurring to his family and a report was made to police, resulting in Cranny's arrest.
Magistrate Claire Girotto adjourned the proceedings to November 30 to hand down her sentence.
Cranny, who was heavily involved in the Illawarra cricket community as a coach and committee member, is banned from being in the presence of, or contacting, any children under the terms of his strict bail.
The conditions prevent him working as a primary school teacher or running his private cricket coaching business.
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